


insomniacs anonymous

by catpoop



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Universe, Detroit Police Department (Detroit: Become Human), M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, One Shot, Sleep Deprivation, unorthodox problem solving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24266662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catpoop/pseuds/catpoop
Summary: Gavin Reed needs to sleep. Nines procures sleep medication.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 6
Kudos: 102





	insomniacs anonymous

**Author's Note:**

> just thought it would be funny

Something triggers Connor’s sensors. For once, it is not a disturbance in the office, but rather a lack thereof. He scans his surroundings before turning his head to look directly at the pair of Nines’ and Detective Reed’s desks. Nines does not look up at him, though the other android is sure to have noticed his probing gaze. Reed’s vitals confirm he is alive. Regardless, Connor decides to approach and investigate further.

Connor comes to a stop a foot away from the junction of their desks. “Why is Detective Reed asleep?”

Nines does not look up at him as he sends his reply through their private connection. _He has not slept for the past sixty-eight hours. It was inefficient._

Connor eyes the detective’s hunched over form. There is a mug of half-consumed coffee next to his right hand. The terminal in front of him is blank. “Yet he can fall asleep at his desk?”

Nines replies with one word. _Humans._ Even in textual form, Connor can hear a note of derision. 

He does not agree with his successor on many things – Connor supposes this is due to his inherent flaws, which had been phased out with the new model – but they can agree on one thing. Humans are inefficient. Connor is more forgiving of this, as he had been created to assist and integrate, but Nines is…

To borrow from Hank’s vernacular, Nines is pissed the fuck off. But one of the agreed terms of letting him out of the Cyberlife warehouse was that RK900 – _Nines_ had to disengage the protocols preventing him from peacefully existing alongside humanity.

His _murderbot programs_ , Connor supposes.

And so he is now allowed to work at the DPD, with only his deviant emotions reminding him of his intended mission parameters. Connor takes another good look at Detective Reed. He cannot do a closer analysis, as this is not a crime scene and Connor has no reason to suspect Nines isn’t telling the truth.

He nods. “I see. Wake him up before the captain notices.”

Nines. _Of course._

And that should be the end of the interaction, as Connor has his own job – and a bored and antsy Hank to be dealing with, but he keeps a constant visual log of that corner of the office running in the background. 

He reviews it after 1.3hrs, when he gets up to fetch Hank a coffee and waits for it to brew. Detective Gavin Reed has not once woken during the elapsed seventy-eight minutes. He has not moved from his uncomfortable position, half across the terminal keyboard. Captain Fowler has taken no notice.

After stirring in milk and sugar, Connor gives Hank his coffee and sits back down at his desk to resume further monitoring. He pulls the visual log to the forefront, this time.

Nines gets up from his desk after another thirty-three minutes to, as Connor had found out, take his mandated ‘bathroom break’. He uses the time to take a walk around the precinct building and air out whatever grievances he had accumulated since stepping foot into the office. Connor has in fact overheard a complaint to the front desk about some ‘creepy robot fucker’ standing outside – the member of the public was politely rebuffed.

The moment Nines leaves the bullpen, Connor slides out from behind his desk. 

“Hey!” Hank says, and Connor makes a reminder to apologise for the interruption when he returns.

Detective Reed is still stubbornly unrousable, even as Connor eases a finger into the gap of his slack mouth. He hears Hank shout again, this time in disgust. It takes a millisecond to analyse the saliva sample, and Connor tests the coffee too, just in case. He turns around just as Hank approaches. 

“What is it, Connor?” Hank groans. “Man finally up and died on us?”

“Lorazepam.” Connor confirms. Traces of coffee in the man’s mouth had clued him into the means of administration.

“You’ve gotta give me that in layman terms.”

“A benzodiazepine. Ativan.”

“Shit…” Hank balks. “Who the fuck is roofying police officers in broad daylight?”

Connor doesn’t need to review his footage of the past morning to know how many people have handled Detective Reed’s coffee mug. Nines takes a few minutes to come striding back in.

Connor moves to intercept him, automatically putting Hank to his back. “Did you drug Detective Reed?”

Nines makes eye contact with Hank before calmly addressing Connor, out loud this time: “Detective Reed had not slept for the past sixty-eight hours.”

“That doesn’t mean you can drug the damn bastard!” Hank steps out behind Connor to stand beside him, looking ready to grab Nines by his collar and slam him against the nearest wall, like he did Connor.

Nines blinks, once. He pauses unnaturally before speaking. “It will wear off by the end of his shift. If not, I will help him back to his apartment.”

“That does not give you licence to drug the man.” Connor repeats Hank’s statement, albeit more calmly.

Nines tilts his head, considering, before answering in one continuous breath. “The sedative effect will wear off by the end of the shift. The precinct’s noise level has decreased by a minimum of 20 decibels. Detective Reed’s physical and mental state will improve as a consequence, not to mention the benefit to the precinct’s and our clearance rate. Captain Fowler has not issued any disciplinary warnings today. Also, I personally would not like to be in Gavin Reed’s presence when he has been awake for sixty-nine consecutive hours.”

Hank snickers and gets a sharp look. “Anyways,” Hank begins, “what were you saying about _mental state_? You think Reed will suddenly be all pleasant and amicable when he wakes up?”

Nines is silent.

“Have fun breaking the news to him that you drugged him.” Hank huffs, and pats Connor on the shoulder. “You deal with this, Con. I have shit to do.”

With Hank gone, Connor steps closer into Nines’ personal space. “I will need to report this infraction to Captain Fowler. Let me review your memory files from today.”

Nines remains silent as Connor initiates the interface, and does not say a word as Connor leads the way to Fowler’s office.

“No disciplinary warnings today, my ass.” Connor hears as he passes within earshot of Hank’s desk. He politely does not comment.

Nines looks more robotic than ever as he stands statue-still in a corner of the office while Connor explains the situation. He points out at the bullpen; Fowler stands up to look.

“Huh.” This he directs at Nines. “Normally, I’d have you terminated on the spot, no question about it.” He sighs. “But you said this wasn’t done with malicious intent?”

“No,” Connor replies.

“How do we –” Fowler turns to Connor with an almost desperate tone. “How do we teach him about respecting bodily autonomy and the like?”

“I can transfer a data packet –” 

“There is no need.” Nines interrupts. “Detective Reed has relinquished all bodily autonomy with his reckless behaviour. He is a danger to himself and the people around him.”

Fowler shakes his head. “Well, you’re not wrong about that. How about –” He pinches the bridge of his nose and takes another look out through the office wall. “Thank you for your report, Connor. Nines, this is going in your file. I’ll let you know later today what we’re going to do with you. For now, just get out – and don’t do anything silly.”

Nines inclines his head slightly. “Yes sir.”

Fowler gets in one last comment. “And someone needs to carry Reed out of here by the end of the day!”

Gavin wakes up sometime in the evening to the sight of his desk at the precinct. When his vision clears up, he takes note of a few more things: it’s dark outside, for some reason. The bullpen is mostly empty, aside from a few stragglers and his not-so-friendly neighbourhood robot pal. Nines is standing at his shoulder.

“Whuh?” He manages.

Nines seems to take this as a cue to recount the whole day’s proceedings, and it takes a few seconds for Gavin’s ears to decipher what the android is saying. It takes another few seconds for the anger to manifest.

“Wait –” he splutters, “did you say you _drugged_ me?” His coffee mug sits innocently on his desk, though he can’t remember last having a sip. “What the fuck, Nines –” 

Nines’ bland expression does not shift. “Captain Fowler has placed me under Connor’s supervision for a probationary period. It should not affect our work.”

Gavin gapes. “I don’t fuckin’ care! What part of me being blacked out for a whole day doesn’t ‘affect our work’?”

“It should not happen in the future,” Nines replies, somewhat ominously.

“Damn right it won’t! I ought to sell you for parts for that.”

“Your anti-android sentiments are not appreciated in this day and age.” Nines reprimands him. It’s like the damn bastard can’t take a hint and _apologise_ , maybe. Grovel for forgiveness, maybe. Gavin ought to get him fired for that, probationary period or not.

“Yeah, but my anti- _psychopath_ sentiments are just common sense.”

“I will not do it again, Detective.” 

Again with that bored, inflection-less voice. Gavin points an indignant finger, in lieu of straight up socking the metal prick in the gut and handcuffing him to the nearest wall fixture. 

“Don’t you dare fuckin’ do _anything_ to me without my consent. Even if you think it’s ‘good for me’ or some bullshit. Got it?”

Nines blinks once. “Understood, Detective.”

**Author's Note:**

> gavin, awake n delirious: oh shit nines its gonna be 69hrs soon! fuuck!!  
> nines: babe its 4pm time for ur government-mandated sedation!
> 
> [tumblr](https://swummeng-geys.tumblr.com)  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/hashtag_yikes)


End file.
